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For 21 years of her life, she refused to wear a bikini in public, feeling uncomfortable showing scars from her 15 surgeries – for a brain tumour, a punctured intestine, a cyst on the brain, plus hydrocephalus.

‘I thought the solution to that insecurity was to hide them and then I would never have to talk about it. As I got older, I started gaining weight as a result of my surgeries and that just compounded my insecurity.’

As she gained weight, Michelle’s insecurities grew.

But eventually she’d had enough. At 15 she decided to stop talking about herself negatively, and start treating her body as ‘a vehicle to live my life’.

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlife)

She learned to truly love her body, scars and all, and immersed herself in the body positive community, taking down people’s fears around showing their scars through her campaign, Scarred Not Scared.

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Part of that body confidence journey was learning to be the designated ‘fat friend’ – and dealing with how people view those who are bigger than those around them.

This week, she decided to take the ‘fat friend’ stereotype down, explaining why she’ll never let her size make her feel like the odd one out.

‘There’s a stereotype around being the “fat girl” in a friendship group,’ wrote Michelle.

‘She’s the one who sits on the sidelines and never joins in.

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlifeltd)

‘She’s the one perpetually single and sits silently while all her friends discuss their love life because god forbid, if she actually find a boyfriend, she would never be comfortable naked or in the bedroom.

‘She’s the insecure one, the one constantly complaining about her body and talking about diets.

‘I couldn’t call bullsh*t more on this stereotype.

‘Since the age of 11, I have always been the “fat” friend but I have never been THAT girl. Even with all my insecurities around my scars, and my body in general, I was never the girl who sat inside – I refused to because of my pride and ego and my surgeries never let me be the person who missed out on life.’

Michelle shared photos of herself next to her friend, both wearing bras and getting ready to jump into a Fjord.

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlife)

‘The difference between now and then is that there’s no hesitation, there are no second thoughts and when my friend suggested jumping in the Fjord, I was all “Hell yeah!”.

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‘Before I would have said yes reluctantly, spent the time hiding as much of my body as possible until the last moment, definitely worn a top and definitely wouldn’t have taken photos, let alone been in them.

‘Now, I’m the one suggesting photos, I was the first to whip off my top and the thought that my body was different wasn’t there.’

Michelle goes on to explain that she never wants another person to feel like the ‘fat friend’, and wants to serve as an example of how learning to love your body can set you free.

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlife)

‘The fact that I know many girls, fat or skinny, would miss out on opportunities like this is what fuels my body positivity,’ she wrote.

‘Body positivity isn’t about being able to take underwear selfies, it’s about not letting your underwear or your swimsuit be the reason you aren’t taking part.

‘And ultimately when you are around the right people, you won’t EVER feel like the “fat friend”.

‘I don’t look at these pictures and see me as the odd one out. I look at the pictures and see the memories and the three bodies that we had fun in!’

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlife)

Michelle told us that she was inspired to write the post – which is currently being shared all over the internet – after she asked her friend in the photo if she would have jumped in as a teenager.

Her friend said no, her insecurities would have held her back.

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‘It got me thinking because even though I was bigger, I would have still said yes,’ Michelle told us. ‘Yet a person who has a body that is seen as “body goals” would have said no.’

(Picture: Instagram/mindsetforlife)

Michelle’s advice to other people who feel like the ‘fat friend’ is simple – put an end to comparing your body to someone else’s, and don’t put up with anyone who makes you feel like you should.

‘Ultimately, any friend that makes you feel like a “fat friend” isn’t a friend at all,’ said Michelle.